Welcome back PHPaul
Things are a little slow at moment.
A review of public square topics will give an indication of what's been talked about and what one should worry about ,I think.
A t moment I think Mayhew is a topic for opposition,They hate her, and next best I see Moody as a outside change to pull off another surprise.
No matter what it will be a not LePage fight as the main point for the dems..

...this is the best place for thoughtful opinions, frank discussion and a minimum of hype. Giggle. This is no place at all. It's finished and no amount of wishful thinking will bring it back to what it never was in the first place.

Moody?
Mel
What did LePage really have to offer ?
Good story of life, Mardens' business built on selling off other peoples' goods available by disaster and business losses.
A personality that appealed to some voters statewide and a three party ticket.

Everybody who had a fascination with cars and didn't go on to UM for a liberal arts degree is a possible voter.
The second district could pull it off again.
Everyone of them R's will have to fight off Le Page attraction which to the opposition will be the tactic IMO used by dems.. What else do they have to offer.

By the way businesses, compare number of Mardens and Moody collisions centers .

I first encountered Mayhew probably something like 10 years ago or a bit more at a symposium on health care policy. She was on the "panel," and at the time, was employed by the Maine Hospital Association, no doubt with lobbying ID.

Lifelong lobbyist? I can't say one way or the other.

But I can say this. She had an incredible knowledge of all aspects of the health care system, including the insurance structures and the pharma industry. I was deeply impressed.

Given the pervasive burden on government that "human services" have become, I'd say she was incredibly well equipped to lead DHHS under LePage.

And that experience has surely given her rigorous training in the mechanics of government in Augusta, and related federal meddling.

Government has largely become one huge social service agency; DHHS writ large.....and writ out of control.

I've been so impressed with Mayhew.
Yes, she knows her stuff.
She conducts herself as one who wants to lead and is not afraid to lead.
And she understands better than any of the others how vicious the opposition will be; she has shown she can withstand the onslaught.
I'm afraid she's right to doubt that Shawn Moody can do that.
I like Moody a lot and I appreciate what he is trying to do for the people of Maine.
But I think he'll be putty in the hands of the vicious Left.